County Record: Digital Edition

Penny Record: Digital Edition

Juvenile who shot OC deputy confirmed as adult

A juvenile who reportedly shot an Orange County deputy was certified as an adult Thursday afternoon in Judge Larry Thorne’s Jefferson County 317th District Court in Beaumont for attempted capital murder, according John Nelson, assistant criminal district attorney.

Dillon Sclegal, 16, of Orange, could face life in prison. Nelson explained the penalty for attempted capital murder of a peace officer ranges from five years to 99 years incarceration with a $10,000 fine. He added he has turned his paperwork over to the Grand Jury in Jefferson County, the next step in the legal process.

No bond has been set as of yet. A judge will set that in court Friday morning. Currently Sclegal is still incarcerated in Jefferson County.

Deputy Fred Ashworth was allegedly shot in the chest and back by Sclegal outside the Minnie Rogers Juvenile Detention Center just outside of Beaumont on the morning of January 25. Schlegal was placed into custody while Ashworth was taken to Christus St. Elizabeth.

Ashworth has since recovered and is back on the job.

Investigators say the juvenile somehow got the deputy’s weapon while sitting handcuffed in the back seat of the patrol vehicle. Ashworth was outside of the vehicle in the unloading zone at the center when he was shot.